Thursday, February 28, 2013

As part of our foray into the blog world, we would like to increase your awareness of events occurring at Womencare Counseling Center. Please take a look at this event, which will be occurring in March. We'd love for you to join us!

When a therapist becomes pregnant, the client-therapist relationship is impacted in ways that can be both challenging and enriching. A therapist's pregnancy is an unavoidable self-disclosure, which impacts the therapeutic relationship before, during and after the therapist’s maternity leave. The complex feelings and interpersonal dynamics which arise are stirring for the client, and also for the therapist as she enters into her own time of psychological change and growth. This three hour workshop provides a forum for therapists to share experiences, discuss themes and together explore this transformative time.

Monday, February 25, 2013

As part of our foray into the blog world, we would like to increase your awareness of events occurring at Womencare Counseling Center. Please take a look at this event, which will be occurring in March. We'd love for you to join us!

This gathering offers a place for professionals who work with children and adolescents to exchange ideas, thoughts, concerns and resources about the challenges and benefits of today's technologies and their impact on young people.

It is our hope that this dialogue will build community, and inspire us to generate strategies thta will support our work with children and adolescents.

A complimentary light breakfast will be served. There is no fee for this event.

Monday, February 18, 2013

Womencare is taking the leap into the world of social media. I do not find social media intuitive. I have never tweeted and I am baffled by Facebook. The truth is, it seems daunting.

My most ambitious post on Facebook was at 3:30 in the morning, a lonely time for the occasional insomniac. After I perused my children's and friends’ pages I gathered my courage to post something: “Is anyone awake?” My hope for a comrade to reply in the wee hours evaporated into the cloud. So please bear with me and with Womencare as we venture into the land of blogs, Facebook and tweets.

Obama wisely said in his recent inaugural speech; “When times change so must we.” So we will forge forward into this new territory. On the other side of my dread of the unknown is sparkling excitement. I am a communitarian; I love any tools, ideas or opportunities that create connections and foster community be it gatherings in living rooms, on the street, on-line or off-line.

As a writer and trauma therapist I am passionate about the power of words. In my 30 years of experience treating the aftereffects of trauma I understand that what isolates and disables survivors of child abuse is not simply the horror of abuse or neglect but the loss of language. Without words our experiences are un-shareable, cementing a sense of disconnection from ourselves and from others. Moving the traumatic from wordlessness to words holds such promise. It is part of what we do as therapists; we become midwives to stories that were once unspeakable. Truth telling breaks the code of silence and allows for healing.

As we stumble into this territory of social media, aware of its challenges and aware of its potential to foster new connections, we will share our thinking, stories that inspire us, our dreams and ideas that inform what we do and the programs we create. We hope to connect to others who share our vision. We want to acknowledge those who are doing courageous work and share resources that we think you will find valuable.

As we begin we will blog once or twice a month. Our intention is to increase the frequency as we gain more confidence. We will also communicate with you on Facebook.

Here’s how you can help. Subscribe to our blog and "Like" our Facebook page to follow us there. Email us your ideas and comments. Applaud when we succeed and gently nudge us when we miss the mark.

Best,Laurie KahnDirector and Novice Blogger
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